The Game
by AnakinCaffrey
Summary: In a plot to twist the outcome of the war, Anakin Skywalker and his former Master are forced to take part in a death match against many foes as well as each other. As they struggle to survive, their relationship hangs in the balance. [SLASH. Ani/Obi. Rated for future language and themes.]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Finally getting back into some lightsaber action with these two! I really missed this. Hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I will when I'm writing it. It was inspired by a PM I received from NIGHTWINGandSKYWALKER (formerly Anakinskywalkergo) and I'm **_**finally**_** running with it. Thank you, dear! Hope **_**you**_** like this.**

—

It all started when he'd decided to go on ahead to search for the clankers. He was too foolish to realize he was walking right into a trap that could've cost his life and, of course, he'd been rescued by the same man who'd warned him, begging that he _not_ go out alone, especially since it was pitch black out. Their camp was hardly lit up. Even a lightsaber wouldn't illuminate the area as well as sunlight would, but he'd gone anyway.

Now he was lying on a gurney, bleeding from shrapnel wounds in a medbay on his flagship. He vaguely made out what was being said around him, but he couldn't fully comprehend anything. He could barely see straight ahead as it was. His head was pounding and his body felt like it was on fire. He decided that going back to sleep might be his best bet at escaping this hellish reality, so he went unconscious once more.

When he'd awakened later, it was well into the following night. He was still on the gurney, but he had a breather on now. His eyes fluttered open, fingers flexing. He froze when his fingers connected with something warm and firm. Fingers enveloped his own and a blurry, but unmistakable face came into view, disappointed. "You're lucky to be alive," he said, the disapproval dripping like venom. "What were you thinking?"

"Obi-Wan," he gasped. "I-I'm _fine._ I'm alive, aren't I?" He coughed involuntarily and winced at the pain that erupted in his midsection. Obi-Wan looked down at him sadly and sighed.

He didn't know what to do with the younger man sometimes. He'd barely been able to contain him and his brashness as a Padawan. Now that this man was a Knight, he couldn't control _anything_ he did. "Your chest was pierced." Anakin's entire body ran cold. He hadn't known it was that bad. "If you hadn't used the Force to ward off as much as you could, you would be dead."

Anakin swallowed, wishing he could go back and expand his senses to get a better feel of his surroundings, rather than walking in blindly. He was gifted with exceptional Force abilities, yet he rarely used them to their full potential. "Master—"

His Master held up a hand, immediately silencing him. It was too late in the evening to have this conversation even though Obi-Wan had provoked it by speaking of it in the first place. "You came out of the bacta two hours ago. Just rest, Anakin."

"The mission—"

"—was a success." Anakin gaped at the older man, who simply leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, stroking his beard with the hand that wasn't entwined with Anakin's own. "I suppose I can give you _some_ credit for that, but you were foolish nonetheless." His cloudy eyes met Anakin's bright, blue orbs. He cared so much about the younger Jedi, but he didn't think he'd be able to save him at every turn. There would eventually come a day where Anakin would fall in battle because he'd, once again, acted foolishly and Obi-Wan hadn't been quick enough to save him. "Do you have any idea what it does to me when you act like that?" he asked quietly, forcing his anger to fade away into the Force. He wasn't _angry_ per se, but he was very disappointed in Anakin. Above that though, he was _afraid._ He'd barely been able to get there in enough time to pull Anakin from the battlefield before he was _killed._

Anakin's eyes lowered to their entwined hands. He didn't know what to say because he knew he shouldn't have acted on his own. He should have listened to Obi-Wan. "Yes," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Master."

Obi-Wan sighed and sat forward, lifting his free hand to stroke Anakin's hair aside. "You gave me quite the scare, Anakin. Imagine arriving at the scene to find _me_ lying face down in my own blood." The young man shuddered and Obi-Wan gained some satisfaction in that, knowing he'd affected Anakin by putting that image into his mind. "I know you were trying to save the children, Anakin, but the way you went about doing so was _wrong._" Anakin's head was bowed submissively, stunning Obi-Wan briefly. "I wish you could see that sometimes before running in and nearly getting yourself killed in the process."

"Yes, Master," was the quiet response he'd gotten.

"I don't know what I'm going to tell the Council, Anakin. This is among several other similar situations involving your disobedience." He paused, rethinking what he'd wanted to say next. "I know that you believe disobeying me at times is your best option, but I put your well-being into consideration when I tell you to _hold on._ I'm not trying to hold you back." Anakin's head lifted at that remark, remembering when he'd accused Obi-Wan so many times of doing just that. He'd never meant that; he'd only been a hormonal teenager seeking independence. "I, despite the Code, care very deeply about you, young one, yet you take every opportunity to throw that in my face as though it doesn't matter at all."

The young man's eyes fell to the bedclothes now and he frowned, responding, "Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan stared at him, astonished. "Are you even listening to me, Anakin?" he asked a bit harshly, harsher than he ever remembered sounding around his former Padawan.

"Yes, Master," he said sincerely, staring at Obi-Wan now.

The elder man scrubbed his face, sighing heavily. "I wish you would just call me Obi-Wan. I'm no longer your Master, Anakin. I haven't been for well over two years."

Hearing that gave Anakin the feeling that a knife was being twisted in his chest. "You'll always be my Master." He couldn't see Obi-Wan as anything but his Master and his best friend. Obi-Wan was the man who taught him everything he knows, who acted like a father to him while he grew up. Once he'd turned eighteen, Obi-Wan began to treat him like a young adult, but he still reprimanded Anakin for his wrongs. It wasn't until the battle of Geonosis ended that Obi-Wan felt closer to Anakin, like brothers.

He remembered spending the duration of two months following the battle in the medbay with Anakin. He'd struggled to grow accustomed to his new cybernetic limb and Obi-Wan stayed by his side to give him all the support he needed, as was his job. "I know," Obi-Wan sighed. "I know." He couldn't help the way he looked at Anakin now. It was so very unbecoming of a Jedi who proclaimed to follow the Jedi Code to the letter, who'd scolded his very own apprentice for harboring the feelings he was still having.

He couldn't help looking at Anakin romantically now. He'd fallen for his sweet apprentice long ago, but not to the extent he fell for him now. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to let you down…"

"You haven't let me down, Anakin." He stared at the man who laid miserably before him. Anakin looked sick, paled beyond anything Obi-Wan had ever seen in someone who _never_ got sick. "You have never let me down and I don't foresee that changing in the near future." He offered the young man a soft smile, which was returned a few moments later. He wanted to tell Anakin he loves him, that he would never think Anakin had failed him. Anakin _couldn't_ fail him because Anakin always give his all to the situation regardless of what was involved. He was very proud of the man Anakin had grown up to be, not that he'd ever truly admitted it in such simple words before, but perhaps that had been wrong of him. Anakin was someone who needed reassurance that he wasn't failing, that he was indeed succeeding at making his Master proud. "Rest now, please," he said softly, easing a sleep suggestion into the young Jedi's mind, which was quickly accepted. That shocked Obi-Wan; Anakin always put up a fight when he felt Obi-Wan use the Force to persuade him to do _anything,_ but he'd allowed it just this once. Perhaps he trusted that he'd done well regardless of being told how he'd scared Obi-Wan during the mission. He stared at the peaceful face beneath him and sighed, stroking his clammy forehead and cheeks. "Even after all of these gray hairs you've given me," he said softly, "I'm still proud of you, Anakin."

•◊•

Lightning cracked like a whip across the Coruscanti sky, making the Jedi High Council uneasy. Skywalker and Kenobi had returned several hours ago, yet they hadn't heard from Obi-Wan since he'd sent them a transmission regarding Anakin's condition. "Hm," Yoda grumbled in his seat, glancing warily at his former Padawan beside him. "Troubling, this is. Darkness, I sense."

Jedi Master Mace Windu leaned forward in his seat. "I cannot sense it, Master Yoda," he said, his voice booming in the large chamber.

"Returned, it has, with young Skywalker." The eyes of the remaining Jedi Council met with Master Yoda's small form, gazing at him curiously. "On Jatin V, it did," he expanded, "when, kidnapped, Master Kenobi was."

Shaak Ti spoke up across the room. "But, Master, that was well over two months ago. Anakin hasn't shown any signs of a growing darkness." She seemed exasperated, desperate to believe that they were still safe, that visions she'd had were merely fantasies.

"Believe he is poisoned by the dark side, I do not." Confusion was drawn across the faces of the Council members. "Believe he is _tainted_, I do." He held his gimmer stick, staring thoughtfully at the chamber's floor. "A shift, I sense, in his destiny. Know if good, this shift is, I do not."

"Master Kenobi has him on a tight leash. He's the only one Anakin would listen to," Ki Adi insisted. "If something were to change in Anakin, he would know and he would extinguish it immediately. He has done it in the past." They all knew what that meant. _Jabiim._ It always went back to that dark, damp planet. Jabiim and Jatin V had been similar circumstances regarding Anakin's dark intent during those times. And it had been a result of Ventress kidnapping his Master both times.

"Do you believe this shift is occurring _because_ of Obi-Wan?" Stass Allie asked, straightening in her own seat—a seat that belonged to her late cousin.

The lightning cracked once more, thunder booming in its wake. "A possibility, it is. Watch them closely, we must." He shook his head slowly, unsure as to whether or not this decision was _right._ "A dark time, it is, that we are coming into." He glanced up at his fellow Council members and sighed heavily. "And increasingly darker, it will become."

•◊•

"Would you hold _still?_" the elder Jedi hissed, throwing his hands up in defeat at his partner's constant fidgeting. "I'm _trying_ to help you, Anakin, and you certainly aren't making this easy on me."

The younger Jedi glared noncommittally. "If _you_ would stop _poking and prodding_ the wounds, I'd be _fine._" He sat back against the wall, the coolness of it sending shivers through him as it touched his bare skin. "You know they hurt, Obi-Wan. I'm actually _admitting_ it for once. You should be _thrilled,_ not insisting on _helping._"

"Fine," Obi-Wan huffed, tossing the dressing into Anakin's lap. "You can do it yourself then. I apologize for being what I _thought_ was a good friend."

He turned away and was about to storm off until Anakin called out, "Obi-Wan, wait." The Jedi Master sighed, hesitantly turning back to his best friend. "I'm sorry." The apology touched his eyes, so Obi-Wan knew he was sincerely sorry.

"You get on my nerves, young one," he whispered. "You still act as though I'm _trying_ to—"

"I said I'm sorry. That doesn't mean you can insult me," was the petulant interruption. Obi-Wan cocked his right eyebrow upon seeing the other man cross his arms over his well-toned chest, turning his head to the side to avoid eye contact with the elder man. "If you still want to help me, you can. Otherwise, I'll try to do it myself in the 'fresher."

Obi-Wan sighed once more in frustration. He always wondered _why_ he'd been cursed with this young, infuriating man, but he always realized shortly thereafter that this wasn't a curse. He felt truly blessed to have had the opportunity to train someone so dedicated and self-motivated. Beneath the exterior of the proud Jedi Master, he was grateful to have fallen in love with the man. Yes, he was absolutely _intolerable_ at times and aggravating enough for Obi-Wan to damn himself to all of the hells in the galaxy, but Obi-Wan would never trade in the life he's made with the young man. "Anakin," he whispered, waiting until the other man turned his head to look at him. "I _want_ to help you. I'm not trying to upset you or inflict pain upon you."

Anakin nodded, uncrossing his arms. "I know, Master." Indeed. Those three words held a heavy connotation within them. The two of them spent so much time together over the years that they felt as though they absolutely knew everything there was to the other. In fact, they _did_ know everything about each other. Their training bond still existed, though they were the only two to _know._ It was difficult to hide at times, but they'd been successful and they could always fall back on the excuse that their training bond was the reason they worked so well together on the field. They both knew that was a lie though. Obi-Wan's secretly romantic inclinations towards the young man had slowly and steadily built as their relationship progressed and transformed over the duration of Anakin's apprenticeship and even _further_ upon reaching the status of Knight.

Their relationship was more than the typical Padawan and Master relationship, and everyone knew that. They were far from normal, but that was to be expected considering Anakin's abnormal entry into the Order. He was far too old, yet he'd been granted his Jedi career on the dying wishes of a Jedi Master. Obi-Wan resented Anakin at the time, but he'd grown fond of him as time passed. At first, they were similar to that of a father and son. As Anakin's apprenticeship came to an end, they grew to become brothers. As of late though, they seem to have surpassed their brotherly stage as well and now they were both in unknown territory, a territory where Obi-Wan felt utterly lost in his emotions and semi-unwanted feelings.

Obi-Wan waited until Anakin was sitting closer to the edge of the bed before taking the dressing back into his grip. "All right," he said quietly, patiently. "Lift your arms and I'll wrap your abdomen first since that's evidently bled through quite a bit since its initial wrapping." Anakin nodded and let Obi-Wan work. Calloused fingers removed the original dressing that the medical crew on the flagship had put on, and then gingerly applied a fresh roll of dressing. Obi-Wan watched in amazement as blood dripped down Anakin's sides and through the white dressing he'd _just_ wrapped him in. For a man who's _still_ losing a lot of blood, Anakin is surprisingly well. "It may need to be changed every few hours," he said clinically as he observed the younger man struggling to pull on a shirt from their civilian attire. He glanced at his friend's face, finding it extremely pallor and exhausted. He lifted his hand to touch Anakin's forehead and his lips parted silently. "Anakin, how do you feel?"

The younger man shrugged. His movements were sluggish, Obi-Wan noted for the first time since their return. After all, Anakin hadn't been allowed to move freely until they'd come home. "I feel fine." He rubbed at his eyes viciously. "I'm…really tired."

"Anakin," he said firmly, hoping his companion would take this seriously and be upfront with his condition. "I've seen how much blood you've lost. It wouldn't surprise me if you were getting ill because of it. Please, allow me to take you to the medical wing, Anakin. I want—"

The other man waved his arm dismissively. "Go. I'm fine." His body tipped over to the side. Obi-Wan gripped his forearm with one hand and used the other to check Anakin's pulse rate—only to find it _pounding._

Obi-Wan's eyes flickered back to Anakin's face. His lids were half closed and his lips were parted. Breath coming from his pale lips were slow, unnervingly so. "Anakin, this isn't good," he muttered. He felt how cool Anakin's skin was to the touch and alarms were beginning to go off in his head. He pulled Anakin forward, only to have the young man's head loll to the side as though he had no control over it at all. He slipped an arm behind Anakin's back and beneath his knees, effectively lifting him from the mattress. He moved briskly to exit the room. Despite the murmuring Obi-Wan _knew_ as protestations, he would not stop making his way to the medical wing. "Stay with me, damn it," he whispered as he passed into the medical wing, the doors whooshing to the sides to allow him access to the medbay. A medic turned to greet the Jedi, but Obi-Wan cut him off. "Anemia," Obi-Wan said quickly. "He lost a lot of blood at the end of our mission and he's continuously lost more since its completion. He's got multiple signs of it."

The medic went to work immediately, setting up the equipment that would determine just how much blood he'd lost, which told them how much he needed to get _back_ in turn.

For the next several hours, Obi-Wan barely registered the movements of the medical personnel. He stood at Anakin's side to oversee the blood transfusion. Once it was complete, Obi-Wan found himself alone with his unconscious friend. "He's stable," the medic told him at one point. "The stims did what they needed to do. He'll be awake in a few hours."

The lights were dimmed in the medbay now, yet Obi-Wan still stayed. He held Anakin's cybernetic hand in one of his own, frowning at the man in the breathing mask, the same man he'd watched destroyhundreds if not _thousands_ of droids in a battle that lasted for months. He found it very uncanny that something like this could take down such a powerful man. "Sometimes I despise you," he whispered to no one in particular, smoothing his fingers over the cool metal of his friend's hand. He tentatively leaned closer, sighing. His lips pressed against Anakin's sweaty forehead tenderly, a stolen kiss that he knew would never be returned or _repeated._ When he straightened to look down upon his best friend, the one who held his heart so unknowingly, he whispered, "And yet I love you all the same."


	2. Chapter 2

Airspeeders zoomed by the large glass window at high speeds. The Chancellor of the Republic sighed as he spun his chair to watch the Coruscanti traffic. He was absolutely disinterested in anything but his _goal._ Thus far, everything has gone according to plan, but he had a feeling that something was about to change and he couldn't alter it for the better if he didn't know _what_ was changing. Something crucial, he feared, was going to fall apart, thus ruining his plot to twist the mind of the Chosen One, twisting him into a brand new, _dark_ man with a bloodlust unknown to even the most rampant of killers. He perked up at the presence he sensed heading in his direction, spinning to face the doorway.

The automatic doors slid apart and in walked Anakin Skywalker, the young Knight wrapped in his dark Jedi robes. "Ah, my boy," he calls out, his cruel smile coming into play as he stands. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

The blazing eyes of the younger man met those of his own, thrusting a _deep_ darkness upon his very soul. Yes, everything was going according to plan. "I…needed someone to talk to," he whispered. "I apologize for not comming in advance, but—"

He was abruptly cut off when the Chancellor clapped his hands together, shaking his head. "My boy, you _never_ have to apologize for coming to visit me—expected or otherwise." He gestured towards the chair placed before his desk. "Please, sit." He waited patiently as the younger man struggled inwardly, debating on whether or not he should actually _speak_ his mind to the Chancellor. After all, he was just another Jedi Knight. The title of _Chosen One_ didn't exactly mean anything to anyone but the Jedi Order and people who _valued_ the prophecy. Palpatine, however, didn't believe in a prophecy. Master Qui-Gon Jinn did well over a decade ago and that had brought this brilliant source of _darkness_ into play. It would have happened regardless of Jinn's actions, but he sped the process along. Anakin finally seated himself before the Chancellor, looking distraught. "Now, tell me what it is that seems to be troubling you."

The silence that loomed between them was full of tension, a feeling Palpatine fed upon. "It's my Master." Palpatine was briefly stunned by that response. He figured it may have had to do with a certain Nubian Senator.

_Not that damnable Jedi Master,_ he hissed mentally. He averted his eyes from the young Knight for a moment, cleansing himself of his surprise and anger. "Is Master Kenobi well?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious and concerned, though he was neither of those. Had Tyrannus done as he was _commanded,_ the Jedi Master would no longer be a concern. He sought to draw Kenobi to the dark side to no avail. If he'd killed the Jedi, the fall of Anakin Skywalker would have hastened. He may have fallen _then,_ for all Palpatine knew.

"Yes." Palpatine was mildly confused. _Why_ did the Jedi Master become the topic of this conversation if he was well? "I fear for him," he said quietly. Palpatine sat forward, his brows furrowing as he intertwined his fingers and rested his chin upon them. "I've had…visions." The young man finally looked up into the eyes of the elder man, the man he sought guidance from many times in the past when he felt as though he couldn't trust his Master. "I don't think he'd believe me if I told him about them and I don't… I don't know what to do."

Visions…of _Kenobi?_ No, that couldn't be right. He had to have misheard what was said. "Master Kenobi? Are you certain?"

Anakin looked slightly offended. The Chancellor had been there to comfort him when he was having visions of his mother dying. He'd been the only one to believe Anakin's sincere belief that she was to die. It was _Kenobi_ who told Anakin that these visions would come to pass. Not only had he lost Anakin's faith, but he'd destroyed the _trust_ Anakin put in him. If he couldn't believe visions he sincerely believed had yet to come, how could he tell whether or not Kenobi would believe him in a more severe situation? So he'd come to the Chancellor with his fears and Palpatine had done all that he could to relieve Anakin of his anxieties, of his pain. The pain he _knew_ would ensue. He saw to it that it came to be because he knew it was pertinent to _beginning_ Anakin's fall. "Yes, I'm _certain._" He looked away, his face paling as his eyes became distanced from reality. "I…see myself fighting him," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have no idea where we are, but we look as though we haven't been companions for nearly a decade and a half." Palpatine searched the young Jedi's feelings and found so _many_ that weren't supposed to be there to begin with. It was very…_unsettling._ "I feel as though it's my fault and I…I _can't_ let it happen. He… He's my best friend, Chancellor." He looked at the elder man desperately, truly wishing that the Chancellor held all of the answers he sought. "I don't know what to do with this information. If I tell him, he'll probably disregard it—tell me that we're stronger than _that._"

"You don't believe you're stronger than what you've seen in these visions?"

Anakin's eyes widened slightly, his lips parting. "I-I didn't say that," he replied defensively, his hands balling into fists on his thighs.

The Chancellor leaned back, trying to restrain his cruel _smirk._ Anakin doubted the relationship he had with his former Master. _That_ was good. _Very good_, he thought. "It seemed implied, my boy. I didn't mean to offend you."

_What if he's right?_ Anakin questioned himself. _What if I _do_ doubt the strength of our friendship?_ He shuddered, _almost_ avoiding the eye of the Chancellor. However, the elder man _saw_ the motion and he only felt more victorious as a result. "Obi-Wan has never given me reason to believe he would not have my back if push came to shove. He always has in the past."

"This doesn't seem like it's about the battlefield though," he said slowly, wishing that this conversation would _die._ He was growing tired of talking about the Jedi Master. The Knight should be more concerned with his _wife,_ not that damnable _Master._ Kenobi was only getting in the way, which meant he needed to be taken care of. He had _just_ the idea in mind to take care of that. He would have to carefully orchestrate this plan though if he wanted it to succeed. Skywalker _would_ kill Kenobi before the time came for Anakin to fall beyond the point of no return.

"You're right," Anakin replied, his hands unclenching. "I feel like this is…personal. It has nothing to do with the Jedi or the Republic." Palpatine was absolutely _tired_ of this conversation by this point. Kenobi wasn't his concern. Kenobi was only there to _guard_ Skywalker until he could be shaped into the dark lord he was _meant_ to be.

"Perhaps," he began slowly, "this is something you _should_ bring up with him, my boy." Anakin's heart sank. He hadn't wanted to hear that. He didn't want to confront Obi-Wan about _this._ What if _this_ conversation is what sparked the collapse in their friendship? "Do you trust him, Anakin?" The young man nodded silently in response, lost in his thoughts—decisions based on whether or not he _believed_ in the relationship he and Obi-Wan had built up for so long. "Then you must speak to _him._ He is the only one who can assure you that your…_friendship_ is secured."

Anakin nodded slowly, swallowing hard. "I am acting a bit…_childish_ by bringing this to you, Excellency," he said quietly. He rose to his feet immediately thereafter, standing to his full height—a _beacon_ of darkness protruding from the mist of the temporary _light._ It would definitely not last much longer. "I apologize for inconveniencing you and taking time out of more important matters." He turned to leave, only to have Palpatine speak to him once more.

"My boy, there is nothing more important than your well-being." Something about that seemed…_odd_. He'd been friends with the man as long as he had been with Obi-Wan, but… This relationship was _different._ Palpatine looked at him and evidently saw power rather than the man he is beneath all of the Jedi bravado. Obi-Wan saw him for who he _is,_ not the former Padawan he used to be. However, Palpatine put him above _everything_ and that was disconcerting. Surely a single Jedi wasn't more important than the entire Republic. "You can always come to me with your troubles. You know that."

"I do."

Palpatine nodded at him and Anakin took that as his dismissal. He bowed graciously and exited the vast room. "Damn that Kenobi," the Chancellor hissed once Anakin was gone. He rose from his chair and moved to stand behind it, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared out of the large window to stare into the distance—the temple. He could already see it going up in flames, bodies littering the floors, and the smell of _death_ lingering heavily in the air. He smiled cruelly. Kenobi was just a mere obstacle blocking his path for the moment. Soon, Kenobi would be nothing but a memory belonging to Skywalker, which was destined to become an identity lost forever. Yes, this would all come to pass soon enough. He would have to wait patiently, anticipating every move he'd planned carefully for far too long.

•◊•

Obi-Wan Kenobi sat on his sofa in the apartment he shared with Anakin. It was absolutely quiet, something he _loved._ He was able to read through the HoloNet and work on reports he'd put off for quite some time. The datapad in his hand was set to the HoloNet for now. He could put the reports off a little longer. It was Anakin's turn to write them as it was. He could always use Anakin's lack of _respect_ as an excuse for their incompleteness.

The door to their quarters flew open and a whirl of emotion burst into the room. _Speak of the devil,_ Obi-Wan thought momentarily, lowering his datapad onto his lap. He glanced up as the source of the wild emotions came closer to him, towering over him. "Anakin?" he asked tentatively, watching the young man's face. He could sense the distress, how distraught he was, but he couldn't determine the source of _those_ particular feelings. "Are you all right?" Perhaps Anakin's condition wasn't as perfect as he claimed it was a few days ago.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked abruptly. Obi-Wan nodded, motioning towards the seat beside him on their sofa. Anakin quickly indulged himself, seating himself beside his former Master. He remained silent for a few moments, gathering his thoughts. Obi-Wan knew this was obviously very meaningful to the younger Jedi, something he hadn't seen since— "I've been having visions again."

Obi-Wan set his datapad on the nearby table, focusing solely on his companion now. He remembered the severity of Anakin's visions as well as how he'd failed Anakin immensely by saying they would come to pass. Indeed, they had, but at a price. One that cost Anakin a lot of emotional stress. "What are they about?" he prompted.

Anakin's face heated up, his heart pounding in his chest uncontrollably with fear. "You," he said, his voice as small as it had been when he was a child.

"Me?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously. Surely he couldn't have heard that right. Anakin wouldn't be having visions about _him._ Yes, their connection was stronger than most knew it to be, but… Anakin couldn't—_shouldn't_ be able to see _his_ future. Anakin nodded solemnly. "Is this why you've avoided me for the last few days?" He wasn't angry or aggravated when he asked that. He was genuinely curious as to why Anakin felt the need to sneak out of their quarters before the break of dawn and back into them well after nightfall.

"I haven't been—" he protested, the argument dying on his lips. "I guess I have been avoiding you, but it's been unintentional. Master, I… I don't know how to deal with this." Obi-Wan nodded, unsure as to how _he_ should deal with this as well. If Anakin was this worked up, his visions certainly weren't _good._ That shouldn't bother Obi-Wan though because he firmly believes that his time will come when it's _meant_ to and he should readily accept his fate as it takes him to become one with the Force that granted him his life and powers. However, he was just as anxious about the visions as Anakin was and he hadn't gotten any details yet. If something tragic were to happen to him, he knew Anakin would lose it. His former Padawan was sometimes very…_volatile._ Well, sometimes is used very loosely in this particular situation. Anakin was _frequently_ volatile. His overprotective nature has gotten him into trouble on several accounts as he attempted to defend Obi-Wan in _some_ way, shape, or form.

Anakin fidgeted with his hands nervously, drawing his lower lip between his teeth. "Anakin," he said, leaning forward to take Anakin's human hand. He waited patiently for the young man to look at him, but it was taking far too long. He may as well be direct about it if Anakin actually _wanted_ to discuss his visions. "Look at me, Anakin." When the other man complied, Obi-Wan gave him a gentle smile. "You're talking to _me._ There's no reason to worry." Anakin swallowed and nodded. "Anakin, you are my best friend—"

"That's what I'm here to talk about." Silence took over then. Anakin regretted saying that and Obi-Wan sat in his own confusion, wondering _why_ this conversation had to do with their friendship. All they could do was look at and away from each other repeatedly. "Do you think anything could tear us apart? Make us _fight_ each other?"

Obi-Wan's brows furrowed as he considered the question. "If you've seen it in a vision, then _something_ must have influenced our behaviors. I can tell you right now that I couldn't possibly dream of fighting you, but perhaps something…changed." He paused, staring directly into Anakin's eyes. _That_ was why he was so worked up. "You're worried about our relationship falling apart." He saw it in Anakin's eyes now. He could see the pain in them, the _worry._ "Anakin, I assure you that nothing will change our friendship. You are my best friend. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you in my life, my…friend." He struggled to keep up the façade. He wanted more than anything to be able to tell Anakin how he truly felt about him, but that…wasn't a wise decision. In such a vulnerable state, he may feel like he _needs_ to spark something between the two of them that may or may not be there in reality. If anything, that would probably push Anakin _away_ from him. "I don't think I'd have as many gray hairs as I do now if not for you."

He watched the magnificent shift between desperation and humor in awe. Anakin was smirking now, his usual cocky smirk. "I only gave you gray hairs because you let me stress you out."

"_You_ sneaking out to do Force knows what every blasted night isn't exactly _letting_ you stress me," Obi-Wan countered, lifting an eyebrow, silently challenging his friend. It was a little game between them. Who could keep it up long enough before one of them caved and admitted they'd both made mistakes throughout Anakin's apprenticeship? "Each mission with you was a _nightmare_ when you were a teenager," he said, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. "Come to think of it, you're much the same as you were then."

"Only I'm stronger and wiser now," Anakin commented, grinning.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, my friend."

They both sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Anakin spoke up. "Thank you, Obi-Wan, for letting me talk. I didn't see the conversation going as well as it did."

He patted Anakin's thigh gently, not realizing how erotic the gesture seemed to _himself._ "I'm always happy to listen." _Especially to you,_ he added mentally. Anakin's eyes lowered and Obi-Wan followed their gaze to find his hand _resting_ on Anakin's thigh now. Fear struck him in that moment and he couldn't do anything. He couldn't even think about moving his hand from its current position. What if Anakin was _disgusted_ by a friendly gesture turned sensual? Oh, Force, was he panicking now. Anakin _trusted_ him with his visions and now Obi-Wan was coming on strong—or so he thought.

In the midst of his worries, Obi-Wan hadn't realized Anakin rested his hand upon the one Obi-Wan had placed on his thigh. When Obi-Wan blinked, he found Anakin giving him a gentle smile, his eyes sparkling. "I appreciate that more than you know." So maybe he didn't see how meaningful the gesture was to his former Master. That was a good and bad thing. For one, Anakin seems to be pleasantly oblivious to Obi-Wan's obvious feelings for him. Yet he knew deep down that _something_ was different this time. His Master wasn't the touchy kind of person—never had been. When he'd held Anakin as a child, it had been extremely awkward for them both. Obi-Wan didn't know how to show affection then, but he'd learned a great deal from his emotional, affectionate youngster of a Padawan.

He learned how to hug someone and _not_ tense up, how to tell someone how much they meant to him, and how to _show_ that he loved without saying it aloud. _I appreciate you more than you know,_ Obi-Wan thought, sighing internally. He spent many nights wishing his feelings would go away. He felt like a disgusting old man for falling in love with a man he'd considered a son for so long, a man who was sixteen years his junior. _Why must you be so irresistible? I can't bear the thought of anyone else touching you, kissing you, wanting you…_ Obi-Wan jumped, thrust out of his thoughts by the beeping of his comlink. Anakin sighed, retracting his hand and leaning back against the arm of the sofa. Obi-Wan gave him an apologetic, sheepish smile before tapping the answer button on his wrist. "Kenobi here."

"_Obi-Wan, good. The Council has summoned you for a new assignment._" That statement hung in the air between them _thickly._ Anakin's lips parted in a silent plea that Obi-Wan _stayed_ with him. "_Locate Skywalker if you can. This is a mission for both of you._"

Obi-Wan nodded and couldn't help the elation he felt when Anakin's eyes closed and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Master Windu. We'll be there right away." The connection was cut, leaving the two men to themselves once more. Obi-Wan regarded Anakin carefully before making any move to stand and leave their apartment. "Is there anything else you needed to get off your chest?" _Off your chest—perhaps we can start with your vest…_ "Just wondering if we need to discuss anything before leaving. You know, clear the air if need be." He felt uneasy with Anakin's focus on him so attentively now. He felt as though all of his thoughts were on full display for Anakin to read and more than likely recoil from. Anakin would _never_ love him in a romantic way. They just…weren't meant for that. Jedi or not, he couldn't see Anakin falling in love with someone so old and frail, which always made his heart sink. He considered Anakin shallow for that, but it only made sense. Why take an old starfighter out into battle if you can have a shiny, brand _new_ one? That was how he rationalized it. Anakin _loved_ shiny, new things. He assumed it was the same with _people_ as well.

"No." Obi-Wan was confused for a moment, having lost himself in his thoughts and self-degradation. "I think everything will be fine. I was worried about my visions and you… You helped me calm down." He nodded his head at Obi-Wan respectfully, shocking the elder man. "Thank you, Master."

He couldn't _handle_ this amount of respect, of trust, from someone he loved who would _never_ reciprocate that love. Being around Anakin hurt more than he allowed himself to believe. The young man didn't understand how beautiful his Master thought he was in mind, body, and soul. Obi-Wan feared he never would because he knew no one could fully appreciate Anakin in the way he deserved. "You're welcome, Anakin," he said tightly, reining in his _need_ to feel Anakin completely, to take Anakin as his own. "Well, we'd best be on our way. We shouldn't keep them waiting."

"You're probably right." The two nodded at one another and rose simultaneously. Anakin walked ahead of him, built upon his own pride and confidence, and Obi-Wan could only sulk behind him in his misery. He knew these feelings were meant to be forbidden, but he didn't know why he couldn't let them _go._

_A Jedi shall not know anger,_ Obi-Wan chanted silently to himself .He crossed paths with the dark side on many occasions, giving in to his anger. He remembered his actions in the wake of Qui-Gon's death and vowed that he would never fall that far again. _Nor hatred._ He can't recall ever having _hated_ someone, but he knew Anakin harbored hateful feelings. If he didn't know Anakin to be the loving, protective, devoting Jedi, then he would have every right to fear for their relationship as well as Anakin. Hate is too strong of an emotion and is wasted on the weak and undeserving. Hate should _not_ be resorted to and he would try to show Anakin this as often as he could. Obi-Wan wasn't the perfect Jedi like Anakin thought he was. Oh, if only he knew what plagued the Jedi Master's mind at times. _Nor love,_ he finished, pausing in the hall for a split second. He should not know how it feels to _love._ It is what will drive them to the dark side and he could _never_ follow that path even if he thought it possible to love Anakin without abandoning the light they both devoted themselves to.

A Jedi shall not know anger. Nor hatred.

…_Nor love._


End file.
